Tank System For The Cryogenic Storage Of Hydrogen, And Aircraft With A Tank System For The Cryogenic Storage Of Hydrogen

Abstract

A tank system for the cryogenic storage of hydrogen includes a tank structure with at least one hollow body for accommodating liquid hydrogen and at least one insulating means, which encloses the tank structure, for insulating the at least one hollow body. The tank structure has an exterior shape that is integrateable in a load-bearing primary structure of an aircraft. The tank structure is load bearing and is designed to at least partially absorb a load introduced into the primary structure. This makes it possible to achieve a particularly efficient design of an aircraft in which the fuselage of the aircraft is not divided into two parts by the hydrogen tank integrated therein, can be arranged near the center of gravity, and essentially does not increase the additional weight of the aircraft.

1 . A tank system for the cryogenic storage of hydrogen, the tank system comprising:
 a tank structure with at least one hollow body for accommodating liquid hydrogen; and   at least one insulating means enclosing the tank structure, for insulating the at least one hollow body;   wherein the tank structure comprises an exterior shape that is integratable in a load-bearing primary structure of an aircraft, and   wherein the tank structure is load bearing and is configured to at least partially absorb a load introduced into the primary structure.   
     
     
         2 . The tank system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hollow body comprises an arrangement of a plurality of closed-off pressure vessels which in each case comprises at least one aperture in fluidic communication with an aperture of an adjacent pressure vessel. 
     
     
         3 . The tank system of  claim 2 , wherein the arrangement of the plurality of closed-off pressure vessels is an arrangement of a plurality of interconnected elongated tubes of a round or polygonal cross section. 
     
     
         4 . The tank system of  claim 3 , wherein the tubes comprise a hexagonal profile and are configured to form a dense package without interspaces. 
     
     
         5 . The tank system of  claim 3 , wherein at least one wall of at least one tube, that is not an exterior wall comprises a lattice structure at least in some regions. 
     
     
         6 . The tank system of  claim 3 , wherein the tubes are stacked parallel to each other in a dense package, and
 wherein the shape of the tank structure is determined by the sequence of the parallel layers and by the lengths of the individual tubes.   
     
     
         7 . The tank system of  claim 2 , wherein the arrangement of the plurality of closed-off pressure vessels is an arrangement of a plurality of interconnected spherical vessels. 
     
     
         8 . The tank system of  claim 2 , wherein adjacent pressure vessels are bonded together. 
     
     
         9 . The tank system of  claim 3 , further comprising a gas-proof and evacuated envelope enclosing the arrangement of pressure vessels so that the pressure vessels are enclosed flush by the envelope and as a result of the evacuation are pressed together to form a solid bundle. 
     
     
         10 . The tank system of  claim 4 , wherein interspaces between adjacent pressure vessels are gas-proof and are configured to receive or deliver hydrogen as required. 
     
     
         11 . The tank system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hollow body comprises an exterior wall extending over a spatial lattice structure. 
     
     
         12 . The tank system of  claim 11 , wherein the lattice structure comprises groups of struts arranged at angles to each other, wherein each group comprises a common nodal point, and outwards-projecting struts of adjacent groups are interconnected. 
     
     
         13 . An aircraft, comprising:
 a fuselage;   at least one wing;   at least one hydrogen-consuming device; and   at least one tank system for storing cryogenic hydrogen, the tank system comprising:   a tank structure with at least one hollow body for accommodating liquid hydrogen; and   at least one insulating means enclosing the tank structure, for insulating the at least one hollow body;   wherein the tank structure comprises an exterior shape that is integratable in a load-bearing primary structure of an aircraft, and   wherein the tank structure is load bearing and is configured to at least partially absorb a load introduced into the primary structure.   
     
     
         14 . The aircraft of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the tank system is integrated in the at least one wing,   wherein the tank structure comprises a plurality of tubes interconnected and stacked in a layered manner, and   wherein the at least one insulating means encloses the entire arrangement of the tank structure.   
     
     
         15 . The aircraft of  claim 14 , wherein the tubes are arranged orthogonally to the leading edge of the wing, parallel to the longitudinal direction of the aircraft or parallel to the leading edge of the wing and comprise at least two different lengths in order to assume a shape matching the contour of the wing.